Elcano - Tempest! (The Torment Of Santiago)

Elcano - Tempest! (The Torment Of Santiago)

Der Steuermann der San Antonio ist in höchstem Maße beunruhigt: Am Horizont braut sich ein subtropisches Unwetter zusammen.
Ohrenbetäubende Donnerschläge und zornige Blitze entfesseln ihre gnadenlosen Kräfte; Sturmböen reissen an den Segeln und die mächtigen Wogen drohen das Schiff an den Klippen der Untiefen zu zerreiben!
Und dennoch klammert sich der Steuermann ebenso an sein Ruder wie an seine Hoffnung ….

“Tempest! (The Torment Of Santiago)” ist die erste Videosingle von Elcanos nautischem Metaldebutalbum ‘The First Circumnavigation Of The World’. Auf diesem zeichnet die Band all jene Unwägbarkeiten, Erfolge und Debakel der ersten Weltumsegelung nach, denen sich Fernando Magellan and Juan Sebastián Elcano im frühen 16. Jahrhundert aussetzten.

Welche Ironie, dass Elcano ausgerechnet aus dem Binnenland Schweiz stammen, wo die siebenköpfige Gruppe ihre musikalische Reise 500 Jahre nach den besagten Seefahrern begann, und wo sie in Clubs wie auch 2022 am namhaften Elements of Rock Festival auftraten. Nie fehlen dürfen an ihren Shows: Segel, Steuerrad und Schatztruhe. 2023 veröffentlichte Elcano ihre erste EP ‘Hewn In Water’ wie auch die digitale Single “Ghost Of Christmas”; letztere bietet einen Überblick der dreijährigen Fahrt 1519-1522 von Magellans und Elcanos schwindender Besatzung und Flotte.

Das Album ‘The First Circumnavigation Of The World’ wird am 21. Februar 2025 auf CD und als Doppel-LP veröffentlicht und am 29. März 2025 mit Seewasser getauft – dies begleitet von den Bands Dreams in Fragments, Victorius and Freedom Call.

*

Gazing into the distance, the helmsman of the San Antonio is deeply troubled: a sub-tropical storm is closing in.
Deafening thunderclaps and wrathful bolts of lightning unleash their fury, squalls flail the canvas and the mounting billows threaten to grind the ship against the shoals!
And yet the helmsman entertains unwarranted hope ….

“Tempest! (The Torment Of Santiago)” is the first video single off Elcano’s nautical metal debut album ‘The First Circumnavigation Of The World’ which traces the vagaries, the successes and defeats of that very enterprise initiated by Fernando Magellan and completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano in the early 1600s.

How ironic that Elcano should hail from fully land-locked Switzerland where the seven-piece set out on their musical journey 500 years after the sea-faring explorers did, playing clubs as well as the renowned Elements of Rock festival in 2022, never without their sail, treasure chest and helmsman’s wheel iconically on stage. In 2023, they released their first EP, ‘Hewn In Water’, as well as the digital-only single “Ghost Of Christmas” which surveys the three years 1519-1522 of Magellan’s and Elcano’s diminishing crew’s and fleet’s voyage.

The album ‘The First Circumnavigation Of The World’ will be released on CD and double vinyl on 21 February 2025 and baptised with brine on 29 March 2025 in the company of the groups Dreams in Fragments, Victorius and Freedom Call.

Video by Flo Staubli
Music & lyrics by Elcano
Recorded & mixed by Sebi Schiess at SOS Basement Productions
Mastered by Dan Suter at Echochamber


Vocals: Marc Meli, Josy Fine
Guitar: Flo Staubli, Reto Wild
Keyboard: Christoph Zehnder
Bass: Jan Thomas
Drums: Marc Bircher


Merch:
https://www.elcano.ch/band-merch-1


follow us:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6rEfu...
https://elcanoband.bandcamp.com
  / elcanoband  
  / elcano_naut.  .
https://www.elcano.ch/

Lyrics:
Quiet! Quiet! Quiet my love!
Though the storm clouds gather above
Let me lash your helm to my glove
The tempest is waking

Flames are dancing in the far distance
Wanton sprites in electric resistance
I fear I’ll wear out these frayed wristbands
I feel you shaking

Heightening, frightening, thunder and lightning
Thriving, striving, the waves send us diving
Grinding, winding, the freezing sleet blinding
Each sinew quaking

Mighty, mighty heaven is louring
Rising, rising, wave on wave towering
Crippling, crippling fear all-devouring
The gale, it enfolds us

Quiet! Do I hear the boards splinter?
Is this foul sound the cracking of timber?
The rigging’s ripped from the mast's burst cylinder
May God hold us!

Hang on!
Hell, it holds us
Pulls us down
All will die
The end is nigh
Turned and tossed
All is lost!

Tempest, tempest! – Hell, it holds us
Tempest, tempest! – Pulls us down
Tempest, tempest! – Hell enfolds us
Tempest, tempest! – Drink or drown

Respite, my love: you withstood the storm!

Though your hull is shattered, each canvas torn
We may make it until the morn
What greater curse takes form?

Hell from above
Hell waits below
Torrents tear us
Limb from limb
Heaven spare us
Drink or drown
Sink or swim
All goes down!